Adapting and Co-Producing a Psychological First Aid Intervention for Care Home Staff: A Person-Based Approach to...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Care home staff face significant stress and trauma exposure.
• This increases risks of psychological distress, burnout, and reduced workforce resilience.
• Existing Psychological First Aid (PFA) training lacks specific adaptation for care home settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-produce and adapt an existing PFA training resource for care home staff.
• To enhance contextual relevance, acceptability, and feasibility using a person-based approach (PBA).
• To address the unique needs of care home staff exposed to stressful events.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase qualitative design guided by PBA principles.
• Phase 1: Stakeholder workshops, interviews, and literature review to develop principles and content.
• Phase 2: Think aloud interviews to optimize usability and contextual fit.

Main Results:

• Key needs identified: managing traumatic events, inconsistent organizational support, skill development, transferable competencies, and motivation.
• Participants desired flexible, inclusive training with realistic, care-home-specific examples.
• Adaptations included interactive modules, blended delivery, and reflective exercises.

Conclusions:

• A co-produced PFA intervention was developed, aligning with trauma-informed principles and organizational realities.
• The intervention offers a transferable model for adapting psychological support in high-stress care settings.
• Further research is needed to assess feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity in real-world settings.